Biodiversity and conservation of carrot wild relatives in Tunisia: an overview

The genus Daucus traditionally has included about 20-25 species worldwide.
The western Mediterranean region, including North Africa, represents a major center of the genus diversity with Tunisia containing at least 12 species and 3 subspecies for Daucus carota. In many instances, genetic diversity of cultivated plants and their wild relatives is being lost in response to changing environmental conditions and cultural practices.
Recognizing this danger, the National Gene Bank of Tunisia since its creation in 2007, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Vegetable Crops, High Agronomic Institute of Chott Mariem-Tunisia and the Vegetable Crops Research Unit, USDA-USA has given particular attention to Daucus genetic resources conservation and study.
We present here the principal achievements in terms of collecting, conservation and genetic diversity analysis of Daucus wild species germplasm maintained at the National Gene Bank of Tunisia.

II International Symposium on Carrot and Other Apiaceae

N. Mezghani, D.M. Spooner, N. Mezghani, P.W. Simon, H. Ruess, J. Ben Amor, N. Tarchoun

collection, Daucus, genetic diversity, Tunisia

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1264.17